Railroad-spike.



I. HEIKKILAI RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-17,1915.

FIE

THE COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Patented May 2, 1916.

iirrnn s'ra'rnsrarnn'r oration.

JOONAS HEIKKIIiA, or SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

To all whomalt may concern:

Be it known that I, J oonns HEIKKILA, a citizen of the-United States, and a resident of Superior, in the county of Douglas and State of Wisconsin, have invented an Improvement in Railroad-Spikes, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention is an improvement in railroad spikes and has particular reference to an anchoring device therefor.

An object of the invention is the provision of an anchoring device adapted to be automatically operated to embed itself in a railroad tie and be locked to the spike when the latter is driven into said tie.

Another object is to provide a latch pivoted to the anchoring device and operated, when said device is actuated, to engage the head of the spike to securely lock the parts together.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illus' trating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the spike showing the application thereof and in locked position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the spike in unlocked position. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the body portion of the spike. Fig. l is a section on the line 4-4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the body portion of the spike, and Fig. 7 is a similar view of the anchoring device.

Preferably the present invention is employed as a railroad spike and is used for securing rails to railroad ties and in order to show the application of the invention there is conventionally illustrated in Fig. 1 a tie 10 having a rail 11 mounted thereon.

The spike which comprises the essential feature of this invention includes a body portion 12 provided with a head 13 having a curved cut-away portion 14:, as shown in Fig. 6 and employed for a purpose which will appear in the course of this description.

The body portion 12 of the spike is provided with a longitudinally extending channel 15 communicating with a cut out portion 16 formed in the under-side of the head 13 of the spike and enlarged in width at its lower Specification of Letters Patent.

1? having angular engaging surfaces as ind cated at 20. The body portion 12 is provided along the outer edges of the channel 15 with the locking wings 21 which are adapted to assist in retaining the anchoring device, presently to be described, in position in the channel 15 by folding over as shown in section in Fig. 3.

The anchoring device 22 includes an elongated shank having a laterally extending head 23 at one end thereof, one of the longitudinal edges of said shank being provided with the serrations or teeth 24 and a small cut-away portion 25 adjacent the head for receiving. the locking wings 21 when the anchoring device is in position in the chan nel 15. This same longitudinal edge of the shank is provided adjacent its lower end with an enlargement 26 which is adapted to engage in the enlarged portion 17 of the channel 15, the portions of said enlargement projecting beyond the sides of said shank and being adapted to engage the shoulders 18 when the anchoring device is in operative position. The opposite longitudinal edge of the shank is. provided with oppositely disposed recesses 27 arranged at intervals and having angular bottoms 28 adapted to co operate with the engaging surfaces 20 of the shoulders 19. Adjacent the lower end of each of the sets of recesses 27 the edge of the shank is provided with a transverse groove 29 which is adapted to engage the meeting edge of the engaging surfaces 20 when the anchoring device is actuated to cause the serrations 24 thereof to embed in the tie 10.

In practice, when the spike is being driven home into the tie 10, the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 until the underside of the head 23 engages the base flange of the rail 11. Continued downward movement of the body portion of the spike will cause the anchoring device 22 to move to the position shown in Fig. 1 by reason of the cooperation of the angular engaging surfaces 20 of the shoulders 19 with the similar Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed November 17, 1915. Serial No. 61,945.

surfaces of the recesses 27 in said device,

said surfaces 20 being adapted to force the lower end of the anchoring device outwardly relative to the channel 15 and cause the serrations 24 to embed in the tie. When the upper surface of the head 23 engages the bottom of the cut-out portion 16 in the head 13 the transverse grooves 29 in the anchoring device 22 will engage the meeting edge of the angular engaging surfaces 20.

A latch 30 is employed in connection with the invention and also adapted to be operated when the spike is being driven home to lock the anchoring device to the body portion. For this purpose the latch is pivoted to the outer extremity of the head 23 as indicated at 31 and comprises oppositely disposed curved arms 32 and a tooth or projec-- of the spike and be forced downwardly swinging the latch about its pivot 3l and causing the tooth or projection 33 thereof to engage the notch 34 thus locking the anchoring device to the head of the spike.

I claim:

1. spike comprising a body portion having a longitudinally extending channel therein, the bottom of said'channel being provided with a plurality of oppositely disposed lugs having angular engaging surfaces, a head for the body portion of said spike having an inner cut-out portion and outer curved cut-away portions, an anchoring device mounted in said channel and being provided on one edge thereof with a plurality of serrations and on its otheriedge with a plurality of oppositely opposed recesses having angular bottoms adapt'ed'for engagement with the angular surfaces of the lugs formed in said channel, said anchoring device being provided witha head at one end adapted for engagement with a railroad rail whereby to cause said anchoring device to move longitudinally in said channel when the spike is being driven home, said shoulders and recesses cooperating to force the lower end of said anchoring device butwardly, and alatch pivoted to the head of said anchoring device and including arms adapted for engagement with the curved-cutaway portions of the head in said body portion whereby to cause said latchto engage said head. I

2. A railroad spike comprising a channeled body portion having shoulders formed in the bottom of said channel, the head of said body portion having a cut-out portion communicating with the channel in said body portion, and a headed device mounted vice being adapted for engagement with a railroad rail whereby said anchoring device is operated and the head thereof projected into the cut-out portion of the head of the body portion of the spike.

' 3. A spike including a body portion, anchoring means associated therewith and operatedas the spike is driven home, and means pivoted to said anchoring means for locking the same to said body portion when operated.

at. A railroad spike including a body portion having a channel therein, an anchoring device movable longitudinally of said channel, and means pivoted to said anchoring device and adapted to engage said body portion to lock said anchoring device thereto when the latter is operated.

5. A railroad spike including a body portion having a channel therein, an anchoring device movable longitudinally of said channel, cooperating means formed in said channel and said anchoring device for forcing one end of the latter outwardly relative to the body portion, and means pivoted to said anchoring device and adapted to engage said body portion to lock said anchoring device thereto when the latter is operated.

6. A spike comprising a main or body portion, an anchoring device cooperating therewith,anda rocking latch connected with the anchoring device and operated by the main or body portion for locking the anchoring device in anchored position.

7. A spik comprising a body portion, an anchoring device movable relatively thereto,

and a latch pivot-ally connected with one of said parts and operated by the other.

8. A spike comprising a body portion, an anchoring portion cooperating therewith and movable longitudinally relative to the body portion, and a latch securing the anchoring device in anchored position.

9. A spike comprising a body portion having a head, an anchor portion also having a head operatingwithin the head of the body portion,'and' a latch pivoted to the head of theanchor device and having an arm for engagement'with the head of the body portion, and'a second arm to engage over said head.

JOONAS HEIKKILA. VVitne'ss'es:

CHAS. J. TOLONEN, JoHNJ. AsIALA.

cobies oi tiiia patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patentn, Washington, DL 0. 

